Symptoms of Asthma
Symptoms of Asthma: Introduction
The classic hallmark of asthma is wheezing. This is a whistling sound that is created as air is forced through the narrowed airways in the lungs of a person with asthma. It is often heard when a person with asthma exhales, but may also be heard when a person inhales. Some wheezing can be heard by the naked ear, but it is not unusual to need to use a stethoscope to hear it. In severe cases, it may be difficult to hear wheezing because the airway have become so narrowed that there is not enough air moving through them to create the sound.
Other typical symptoms include chest tightness, cough, shortness of breath, anxiety, restlessness, pallor of the skin, and a "retracting" of the muscles that surround and encase the rib cage. When retractions happen, the ribcage appears to be working very hard and the muscles in and above it appear to be "sucking in" with breathing. Early signs of an execration of asthma can be subtle and can include restless, anxiety, and wheezing that cannot be heard by the naked ear. Because it is always best to catch and treat an exacerbation of asthma early, learning to recognize the early symptoms of asthma is an important step on minimizing severe episodes.
Symptoms of Asthma
The list of signs and symptoms mentioned in various sources
for Asthma includes the 18
symptoms listed below:
Research symptoms & diagnosis of Asthma:
Asthma: Complications
Review medical complications possibly associated with Asthma:
Asthma Symptoms: Book Excerpts
Research More About Asthma
Do I have Asthma?
Asthma: Medical Mistakes
Asthma: Undiagnosed Conditions
Diseases that may be commonly undiagnosed in related medical areas:
Home Diagnostic Testing
Home medical tests related to Asthma:
- Allergies -- Related Home Tests
- Lung & Respiratory Health Tests:
- Food Allergies & Intolerances: Home Testing:
- more home tests...»
Wrongly Diagnosed with Asthma?
The list of other diseases or medical conditions
that may be on the differential diagnosis list of alternative diagnoses
for Asthma includes:
See the full list of 46
alternative diagnoses for Asthma
Asthma: Research Doctors & Specialists
- Allergy Specialists:
- Immune-Related Disease Specialists (Immunology):
- Lung Health Specialists (Pulmonologist):
- more specialists...»
Research all specialists including ratings, affiliations, and sanctions.
More about symptoms of Asthma:
More information about symptoms of Asthma and related conditions:
Other Possible Causes of these Symptoms
Click on any of the symptoms below to see a full list
of other causes including diseases, medical conditions, toxins, drug interactions,
or drug side effect causes of that symptom.
Medical Books Online about Asthma
Medical Books Excerpts
Excerpts of published medical book chapters related to Asthma
are available from published medical books
for more detailed information about Asthma.
Medical Books Excerpts
- STRIDOR
- "Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs" (2003)
- [ read ]
- WHEEZING
- "Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs" (2003)
- [ read ]
- Stridor
- "In A Page: Pediatric Signs and Symptoms" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Wheezing
- "In A Page: Pediatric Signs and Symptoms" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Stridor
- "Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition)" (2006)
- [ read ]
- Wheezing
- "A Pocket Manual of Differential Diagnosis" (1999)
- [ read ]
- Asthma
- "Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition)" (2005)
- [ read ]
- Stridor
- "Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition)" (2006)
- [ read ]
- Stridor
- "The 10-Minute Diagnosis Manual: Symptoms and Signs in the Time-Limited Encounter" (2000)
- [ read ]
- Wheezing
- "The 10-Minute Diagnosis Manual: Symptoms and Signs in the Time-Limited Encounter" (2000)
- [ read ]
- Stridor
- "Alarming Signs and Symptoms: Lippincott Manual of Nursing Practice Series" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Wheezing
- "Alarming Signs and Symptoms: Lippincott Manual of Nursing Practice Series" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Stridor
- "Signs & Symptoms: A 2-in-1 Reference for Nurses" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Wheezing
- "Signs & Symptoms: A 2-in-1 Reference for Nurses" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Wheezing
- "The Diagnostic Approach to Symptoms and Signs in Pediatrics" (2006)
- [ read ]
- Stridor
- "Nursing: Interpreting Signs and Symptoms" (2007)
- [ read ]
- Asthma
- "The 5-Minute Pediatric Consult" (2008)
- [ read ]
Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.
Related videos for Asthma
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Patient Surveys for Asthma
Symptoms of Asthma: Online Medical Books
16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE!
Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration,
for more information about the symptoms of Asthma.
Asthma:
Signs and symptoms
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))
An asthma attack may begin dramatically, with simultaneous onset of many severe symptoms, or insidiously, with gradually increasing respiratory distress. It typically includes progressively worsening shortness of breath, cough, wheezing, and chest tightness or some combination of these signs or symptoms.
During an acute attack, the cough sounds tight and dry. As the attack subsides, tenacious mucoid sputum is produced (except in young children, who don’t expectorate). Characteristic wheezing may be accompanied by coarse rhonchi, but fine crackles aren’t heard unless associated with a related complication. Between acute attacks, breath sounds may be normal.
The intensity of breath sounds in symptomatic asthma is typically reduced. A prolonged phase of forced expiration is typical of airflow obstruction. Evidence of lung hyperinflation (use of accessory muscles, for example) is particularly common in children. Acute attacks may be accompanied by tachycardia, tachypnea, and diaphoresis. In severe attacks, the patient may be unable to speak more than a few words without pausing for breath. Cyanosis, confusion, and lethargy indicate the onset of respiratory failure.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Asthma:
Signs and symptoms
(Handbook of Diseases)
An acute asthma attack begins dramatically, with simultaneous onset of severe multiple symptoms, or insidiously, with gradually increasing respiratory distress. Asthma that occurs with cyanosis, confusion, and lethargy indicates the onset of life-threatening status asthmaticus and respiratory failure. Symptoms of bronchial airway obstruction may persist between acute episodes.
Signs and symptoms of asthma include:
sudden dyspnea, wheezing, and tightness in the chest
coughing that produces thick, clear, or yellow sputum
tachypnea, along with use of accessory respiratory muscles
rapid pulse
profuse perspiration
hyperresonant lung fields
diminished breath sounds.
In 1997, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health identified four levels of asthma severity based on the frequency of symptoms and exacerbations, effects on activity level, and lung function study results: mild intermittent, mild persistent, moderate persistent, and severe persistent.
Findings for mild intermittent asthma include the following:
Symptoms occur less than twice per week.
The patient is asymptomatic with normal peak expiratory flow (PEF) between exacerbations.
Brief exacerbations (from a few hours to a few days) vary in intensity.
Nighttime symptoms occur less than twice per month.
Lung function studies show forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) or PEF greater than 80% of normal values; PEF may vary by less than 20%.
Findings for mild persistent asthma include the following:
Symptoms occur more than twice per week, but less than once per day; exacerbations may affect activity.
Nighttime symptoms occur more than twice per month.
Lung function studies show FEV1 or PEF greater than 80% of normal values; PEF may vary by 20% to 30%.
Findings for moderate persistent asthma include the following:
Symptoms occur daily.
Exacerbations occur more than twice per week and may last for days; exacerbations affect activity.
A bronchodilator is used daily.
Nighttime symptoms occur more than once per week.
Lung function studies show FEV1 or PEF 60% to 80% of normal values; PEF may vary by greater than 30%.
Findings for severe persistent asthma include the following:
Symptoms occur on a continuous basis.
Exacerbations occur frequently and limit physical activity.
Nighttime symptoms occur frequently.
Lung function studies show FEV1 or PEF less than 60% of normal values; PEF may vary by greater than 30%.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003
Article Excerpts About Symptoms of Asthma:
Genes and Disease by the National Center for Biotechnology (Excerpt)
It is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways characterized by coughing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness. A variety of "triggers" may initiate or worsen an asthma attack, including viral respiratory infections, exercise, and exposure to irritants such as tobacco smoke. The physiological symptoms of asthma are a narrowing of the airways caused by edema (fluid in the intracellular tissue space) and the influx of inflammatory cells into the walls of the airways.
(Source: Genes and Disease by the National Center for Biotechnology)
Asthma A Concern for Minority Populations, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID (Excerpt)
Asthma is a chronic lung disease characterized
by episodes of airflow obstruction. Symptoms of an asthma attack
include
- coughing
- wheezing
- shortness of breath
- chest tightness
(Source: excerpt from Asthma A Concern for Minority Populations, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID)
NHLBI, Asthma & Physical Activity in the School: NHLBI (Excerpt)
Acute
symptoms require prompt action to help students resume their activities as soon
as possible. Prompt action is also required to prevent an episode from becoming
more serious or even life-threatening. Table 3 lists the symptoms that indicate
an acute asthma episode and the need for immediate action. The student's asthma
plan and the school's emergency plan should be easily accessible so that all
staff, substitutes, volunteers, and aides know what to do.
| Table 3. Acute Symptoms Requiring Prompt Action |
- Coughing or wheezing
- Difficulty in breathing
- Chest tightness or pressure--reported by the student
- Other signs, such as low peak flow readings as indicated on
the asthma management plan.
|
|
Symptoms of exercise-induced asthma (coughing, wheezing, pain or chest
tightness) may last several minutes to an hour or more. These symptoms are quite
different from breathlessness (deep, rapid breathing) that quickly returns to
normal after aerobic exercise (Source: excerpt from NHLBI, Asthma & Physical Activity in the School: NHLBI)
NHLBI, Asthma & Physical Activity in the School: NHLBI (Excerpt)
Students may have symptoms that do not indicate an acute
episode needing immediate treatment, but instead indicate that their asthma is
not under complete control. Table 4 lists these signs.
| Table 4. Signs That May Indicate Poorly Controlled
Asthma |
- A persistent cough
- Coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, or shortness of breath
after vigorous physical activity, on a recurring basis
- Low level of stamina during physical activity or reluctance to
participate.
| |
(Source: excerpt from NHLBI, Asthma & Physical Activity in the School: NHLBI)
Asthma as a Cause of Symptoms or Medical Conditions
When considering symptoms of Asthma, it is also important to consider Asthma as a possible cause of other medical conditions.
The Disease Database lists the following medical conditions that Asthma may cause:
- (Source - Diseases Database)
Asthma as a symptom:
For a more detailed analysis of Asthma as a symptom, including causes, drug side effect causes, and drug interaction causes, please see our Symptom Center information for Asthma.
Medical articles and books on symptoms:
These general reference articles may be of interest
in relation to medical signs and symptoms of disease in general:
Full list of premium articles on symptoms and diagnosis
About signs and symptoms of Asthma:
The symptom information on this page
attempts to provide a list of some possible signs and symptoms of Asthma.
This signs and symptoms information for Asthma has been gathered from various sources,
may not be fully accurate,
and may not be the full list of Asthma signs or Asthma symptoms.
Furthermore, signs and symptoms of Asthma may vary on an individual basis for each patient.
Only your doctor can provide adequate diagnosis of any signs or symptoms and whether they
are indeed Asthma symptoms.
Asthma strikes a surprisingly large number of Americans. For some it is a nuisance, to others it can be serious. Listen to experts talk about the...
Being a teen can be difficult. Being a teen with asthma poses extra challenges. There may be changes in the characteristics of their symptoms due to...
Most kids with asthma will have their first episode before they go to school. But as kids get older their asthma triggers often change. The best...
Up to 10% of children in the United States have asthma, and asthma control is key to preventing long-term problems. National treatment guidelines...
See full list of 18 related videos
» Next page: Diagnostic Tests for Asthma
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